Main engine of India's 'Mangalyaan' to be 'woken up' after 9-month slumber

New Delhi, Sept 22: India's mars orbiter has braved the tough space scenario to cover a nine-month long journey to the Red Planet. However, it faces a major challenge now. The main engine that was lying dormant throughout the journey will be tested for its efficiency and 'reflexes' at the time of need.

Which means that the Indian Space Research Organization or ISRO will test it in a short four-second burn and then embark on the future course of action.

K Radhakrishnan, the ISRO chairman said,"We have done a lot of ground simulations and hope that the four-second test will slow the satellite down and correct its trajectory as well in a two-in-one operation".

Despite having confidence on the main rocket of the space-craft, this is an important move by the ISRO to ensure that there are no last-moment hitches in one of the most important indigenous missions to Mars.

Mission controller B N Ramakrishna said,"All commands have been uploaded and the satellite will perform the tasks automatically."

ISRO has a plan A and plan B, which comprise of two parallel circuits to start-up the larger rocket motor. If both the plans failed, there is a separate plan to use tiny thrusters to slow down the satellite and still reach the Mars orbit.

On an overall, the Mangalyaan is laced with 8 smaller rockets and one big rocket. The bigger rocket is in a slumber.

OneIndia News